He Sees You When You're Sleeping
by betawho
Summary: River Song gets a visit from Santa in Stormcage. The Doctor's never gotten to play Santa before...


He was wearing special sound dampening shoes. He tiptoed across the aisle to peek into River's cell. She was there, curled up asleep, hugging her pillow. His heart did a little mushy flop at how cute she looked, all big curls and flushed cheek.

It was perfect!

He'd put the Tardis on silent, and he now set up a sound dampening cone and pointed it down the hall. Once he was sure it was working, he knelt by her cell door and quickly picked the lock. He didn't want to risk the sonic waking her up.

He grinned when the door slid silently open. He stood up and rubbed his hands. With an irrepressive grin he spun and dashed back into the Tardis.

It wasn't easy moving around River's cell without bumping into things, or causing enough of a draft to wake her up. He kept checking on her. She was frowning slightly in her sleep, but she seemed beat. She must have just got back from an adventure, either with him or without. Hopefully, she was exhausted enough not to notice the odd stray breeze as he slipped by her cot.

He stretched up and hung the gaudy paper chains all around the roof of her cell. He set up the mini Christmas tree he'd bought in a German Christmas bazaar, and straightened the crystal star at the top.

He grinned over his shoulder at her, and tiptoed back to the Tardis, totally thrilled to be playing Santa.

He tiptoed back out, laden with a huge red velvet sack and wearing a Santa hat. He hadn't been able to resist. He'd never gotten to play Santa for his family before. He and Susan hadn't celebrated it, because Time Lords didn't. And he hadn't actually given Rose a red bicycle when she was twelve, that had been a bluff, since every girl got a red bicycle when they were twelve. (He'd gone back to make sure later. But Jackie had beaten him to it.)

Although, the idea of River riding up and down the Stormcage corridors on a red bicycle with training wheels had him grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He was tempted to go find a bicycle just to watch.

He set down his overstuffed sack and froze when River snuffled in her sleep and rolled over. He peered over his shoulder. She was now sprawled over the bed on her back, like an exhausted soldier, arms and legs flopped everywhere. She gave a deep snorting sigh.

He bit his lip and pushed down the giggles. She'd swear up and down that she was an elegant sleeper. He was tempted to take a picture, just to prove her wrong, but he valued his skin too much.

Bouncing lightly with suppressed laughter, tears blurring his vision as she snorted again, he hurriedly emptied the bag of its burden of boxes, arranged the gifts under the little tree until it was half hidden in the pile.

He fussed with the placement a bit, stood back and admired the tree and the cell decorations. With a nod he bundled up the sack and snuck back to the Tardis.

He marched back out carrying the piece de resistance. A gingerbread castle. Complete with candy turrets, marzipan soldiers, and icing for mortar and snow. He'd had it specially commissioned by one of the greatest cake chefs of 19th Century France. It was still so fresh that the smell was making his mouth water.

He quickly set it on a little fold-away table, not too close to the bars. He didn't want her to have to share it unless she wanted to. He licked a bit of vanilla frosting off his thumb and knew he had to be quick before the smell woke her.

He tiptoed over to her cot, where she was again curled on her side, wrapped around her pillow. He pulled one last gift out of his oversized pockets. A shaggy brown teddy bear, wearing a fez.

He tucked the soft, cuddly bear under her arm and dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead. He brushed her hair aside. She was still so young this time.

"Merry Christmas, wife," he whispered.

He turned and dashed for the Tardis, scooped up the dampener, and slammed the door shut behind him. He took off, with the brakes on.

As the loud Vorp Vorp sounded down the corridor the Stormcage alarms went off, guards thundered down the corridor yelling.

River sat bolt upright in bed.

She looked and blinked. A half dozen armored guards where standing in front of her cell, guns pointed at her, staring.

"Doctor Song," barked the head guard, gesturing at her cell. "_What _is the meaning of this?"

River looked around.

Brightly colored paper chains, blinking Christmas tree, pile of presents, and a truly magnificent gingerbread castle. Something fell off the cot as she turned, she looked down. The bear was lying on the ground, grinning up at her, fez askew.

She scooped him up.

Her heart nearly burst out of her chest with sheer delight. She hugged the bear to her chest and grinned like a loon.

"Why, Captain," she said, turning back, lifting her brows and biting back the smile.

"I do believe I've been a good girl this year."

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